


Clock Stops on a Life [Drabble-a-Day June]

by reginahalliwell



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Rosebudd Drabble Prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:48:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 6,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reginahalliwell/pseuds/reginahalliwell
Summary: Collection of drabbles for the Rosebudd Drabble-a-Day June event. Likely all Patrick/David centric, will tag for any others. Daily prompts are chapter titles.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 108
Kudos: 136





	1. Sense

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know technically a drabble is exactly 100 words. Brevity is not the soul of my wit, so I did 200. Each chapter title is the day's word prompt.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated E. Prompt: Sense

With David posed like this, spread out and strung up, vulnerable and unable to touch himself, Patrick can see the desperation and desire building in him. He likes the look of David’s broad, powerful frame stretched out just for him.

He loves the feeling of touching David’s perpetually moisturized skin, the pads of his fingers running across coarse dark hair, standing out in sharp relief against sensitive swaths of sun-kissed glow.

This close, he can smell David’s personal scent, the one uniquely him after all his cologne has wafted away—musky and earthy and fresh—most potent when Patrick’s face is buried in David’s groin, his nose mingling with the thick hair there, breathing it in like air.

Patrick’s fingers grip him firmly, stroking him steadily higher and higher as the groans, moans, whimpers, cries, even sometimes—often—the swearing lead up to hearing his own name, “Patrick,” cried out from David’s mouth. His favorite sound.

Tasting David’s come is exquisite if only because it’s his first, and he hopes, his last. The warm, salty liquid signals David’s pleasure and his own success at helping achieve it, and both love tasting it on the other’s lips when they kiss afterwards.


	2. Mood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Mood

Patrick was in one of those moods. It was discernible only because David knew him well enough to see the subtle changes in his partner’s smile, the cadence of his voice, the look in his eyes. He had forgotten his tea, which was now cold. Most concerningly, he didn’t seem to be capable of the customer service he normally excelled at in comparison to David, who could barely scrape up enough patience on a good day.

But today Patrick was finicky, and irritable, and all the things he normally wasn’t. The good-natured jesting David was used to felt more like actual sniping, and even David’s gentle touch on his shoulders was met with a cold tension.

“Okay, what is with you?” David finally asked, wanting _his_ Patrick back.

“It’s nothing,” Patrick said with finality, begging David with it eyes to just drop it.

David thought about letting it go, waiting until they were home alone and they could really talk it out. But he didn’t know if two and a half more hours of dealing with this were in him.

“Stockroom,” David ordered, his voice taking on an authoritative air as he locked the door and flipped the sign. “Now.”


	3. Accessory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt word: Accessory

Patrick thought a lot about David’s ubiquitous black leather bag. As accessories went, it seemed to have Mary Poppins-esque storage properties and held a multitude of clothes, paraphernalia, and _secrets._

David never offered to let Patrick see what was inside, but he could guess based on the various items he had seen David pull from it on various occasions.

On work days, it was guaranteed to hold a change of clothes in case a shipment came and in and David —god forbid—got sweaty unloading it. On date nights, Patrick had once seen David pull out no less than three different types of lubricant and some toys. The time they stayed over at Stevie’s, Patrick knew it had held pajamas and all nine steps of his skincare routine.

But he had never seen inside that bag, so he didn’t know what other surprises might be waiting.

Part of him wanted to ask to see, or at least to know _why_ he couldn’t. But after thinking it over, Patrick decided it would be better to let David volunteer that information, in his own time, at his own pace.

After all, David had a longer relationship with that bag than most people.


	4. Snack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt word: Snack.

One Monday, David trudges his way through an afternoon lull by store-fronting all their inventory twice-over, attempting some reorganization (only to put everything back where it started), and facing all the bills in the cash register. Suddenly, the door opens to reveal Patrick, Tupperware in hand.

David is always glad to see Patrick. Especially if he comes bearing gifts.

“Ooh, what’d you bring me?” David asks expectantly, eyes zeroed-in on his boyfriend.

“Hi, Patrick! It’s nice to see you. I’m very thankful you took time on your day off to come and visit me,” Patrick proclaims for him in an overly-friendly tone.

“Yes, yes. What’s in the container?” David repeats.

“Oh, nothing,” Patrick teases. “I just thought you might want a snack.”

David’s eyes widen greedily and he moves toward his target, throwing his arms around Patrick and giving him a hungry kiss before pulling him to the stockroom, the Tupperware forgotten.

A hasty blowjob behind the curtain, and David stands, smacking his lips, looking to the counter where Patrick’s surprise is still resting, and quirking an eyebrow at his scandalized boyfriend.

“Now that I’ve had my snack, why don’t you tell me what you brought me?” David asks wickedly.


	5. Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M. Prompt word: Hair.

“Ever thought about growing your hair out?” David asks abruptly, and the fingers running through his long, dark hair pause at the question.

“Why, is that something you’d want?” Patrick asks, not sure where this is leading.

“It’s just, I love the way you touch and play with my hair, and I think you enjoy it too. I thought maybe you’d be interested in me being able to reciprocate at some point,” he suggests, looking up to Patrick’s short cropped hair. It’s beautiful: chocolatey brown in some lights, ruddy auburn in others. David longs to run his fingers through that hair, to tug on it when Patrick is on his knees blowing him, to sweep it off his forehead and drop a light kiss there.

“I’ve always kept it short,” Patrick answers absently, having never tried something different.

“Just imagine it,” David suggests. “You’re inside me, fucking me deep and hard and perfect. And I reach out for something, anything to hold onto, and there’s your hair, those curls just perfect for my fingers to grasp around and tug, make you feel just how hard I’m coming.”

Patrick’s pupils are wide with desire. “I’ll start growing it out,” he promises.


	6. Consequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt word: Consequence

“I was clearly insane for thinking this was a good idea, and you’re my husband, and you’re supposed to save me from this kind of thing.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault?”

“Yes!” David screeched. “That is exactly what I’m saying.”

“You want to walk that back a little bit?” Patrick offered generously.

David considered scenarios in which he’d come out of this unscathed. There were none, and so he turned back to his husband with a sigh and an apology.

“You’re right,” he said. “They might be your parents, but _I_ invited them to stay with us for the weekend. And _I_ forgot it was monthly sex-toy sanitation time.”

“Great,” Patrick acknowledged. “And what did we learn from this whole situation?”

“ _Not_ to invite your parents to stay with us unless we plan to be celibate the whole time they’re here.”

“Right. And what else did we learn?” Patrick asked, clearly looking for a specific answer.

“That actions have consequences,” David mumbled, looking down.

“Like?”

“I shouldn't wash sex toys in the dishwasher while your mother is here because she _will_ try to help in the kitchen and end up finding them.”

“There it is,” Patrick proclaimed uncomfortably.

Poor Marcy.


	7. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T for language. Prompt: Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not super happy with this one, but I can't keep torturing myself with it, so here you go.

They’re staying on Alexis’s couch, and sleeping a few feet away from her again feels something like coming home.

They visit his old apartment building. He can’t get in, of course, but the doorman is the same and recognizes David. David didn’t used to be the nicest person, though, so the recognition comes more in the form of a wary grimace than a welcoming smile.

But he wanted to come here to show Patrick where he used to live, where his various galleries used to be, the bars and restaurants and clubs he frequented in the city. Patrick, to his credit, doesn’t ask to visit Times Square or the Statue of Liberty. He just lets David lead him around, showing him all his favorite places, all his memories.

He traded his loft for a twin bed at a motel, for a studio apartment, for a tiny cottage in a town named Schitt’s Creek in bumfuck nowhere, because his home isn’t a place; it’s a person. And he found his person.

He’s settled in with Patrick now, in their cottage that is not at all like Kate Winslet’s in _The Holiday_ , but it’s theirs, so it’s unimaginably better. Home sweet home.


	8. History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M. Prompt: History.

The thought has been in Patrick’s head since the day after their first day when David had offhandedly flexed about having “kissed like a thousand people.” So, the entire duration of their relationship, then.

But it had taken until after Patrick’s housewarming party, that enlightening night of Never Have I Ever and Spin the Bottle, for Patrick to come back to that question.

So the next night, when they’re a little tipsy and blissed out, after they’ve affirmed their love for each other _several times_ in various positions, Patrick asks about it.

“How many” slips out of his mouth, but he doesn’t know how to finish the question, isn’t sure if the specificity matters—kisses? Fucks? Men? Women? People? He wants to ask about the ones where there’s still a tender spot. Sebastien. Anderson. Tilda. He wants dig into the petty questions--who’re his top ten? Who’s best? Worst? The kinks David’s explored with others, the hard ways he’s learned his limits.

Patrick has no history to speak of beyond the one that literally walked in on them, and they talked Rachel to death after David’s olive branch. But they haven’t even started sorting through David’s warehouse full of boxes.


	9. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Sick

When Patrick had gotten his wisdom teeth out and was high on anesthetic, he had asked David to make him a lasagna and called himself a “hungry hungry hippo.”

That was nothing compared to _actually_ sick Patrick, whose refusal to acknowledge that his “cold” was actually a really bad flu landed them in the ER with Patrick having developed pneumonia.

David had stepped up, wanting to be there for Patrick. So he helped him to sit up and clear his lungs, rubbed big soft circles across his back when his ribs started to hurt from all the hacking. David found his favorite tea and brewed it in pots instead of cups, and called Marcy to ask for Patrick’s favorite soup recipe, and refilled the humidifier in their bedroom.

Patrick was the one who was good with spreadsheets, but now David had diligently kept track of Patrick’s every medication and symptom, waiting for the moment when things would start to take a turn for the better.

And he knew it had, when Patrick turned to David on the bed one morning and asked again, “Will you make me a lasagna, David? I’m a hungry, hungry hippo.” And this time, David did.


	10. Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M. Prompt: sleep

Before they went to sleep, they’d talked about it. Patrick always wanted to be sucked in his sleep, wondering if it would affect his dreams. Rachel had been up for it, but he worried what he might reveal while unconscious. So while Patrick had never done it, David, as usual, had an abundance of experience. Now, Patrick was as eager as anything to try it out with his boyfriend.

One major obstacle: David slept harder, and longer, and invariably _later_ than Patrick, so he wasn’t really sure how this was supposed to work organically.

But somehow, that night, Patrick’s thoughts turned sexual, and his mind’s eye saw David, the love of his life, between Patrick’s legs worshipping him the way only David could. It was the best kind of dream, the kind you never want to wake up from.

The pleasure built and built in him, until Patrick awakened to his own—very real—orgasm, David’s sleep-tousled hair in his field of vision, the suction of his mouth not wavering as Patrick came.

Patrick’s first thought—when he was able to think again—was _how the hell had David managed this?_ The second: _he couldn’t wait to return the favor._


	11. Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Pride

They go to World Pride together in NYC to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots, and Patrick is never happier to have his husband by his side. As expected, David has very strong opinions about what they should wear to Pride, and he carefully curates outfits to highlight their respective rainbow colors.

The pink and yellow and blue David wears to the parade and festival really stand out to him from that experience. David wears his pansexuality every day of his life, but seeing him like this proudly wearing colors he wouldn’t otherwise be caught dead in is a breath of fresh air. Which is important, given that the air in New York is literally the least fresh he’s ever breathed, especially with millions of people packed tight in Greenwich Village.

Then David picks out high-end, tasteful clothing for the white party they attend that night. Even without their rainbows on, in stark white, they still wear their identities proudly and openly, celebrating with millions of other people how difficult it was to get here. Their journeys were very different, but here they are, in 2019, in love and married and partners in every way they can be.


	12. Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt: Fever

Their third Open Mic night, Twyla got up and sang an unexpectedly sexy version of “Fever” that made both Patrick and David uncomfortably aroused. That song was always hot by default, but Twyla singing it gave them both a sort of cognitive dissonance that made them warm and sweaty the rest of the evening.

The walk home was quiet with their unvoiced arousal, until finally David gave in.

“So that was… that was really hot, right?” he asked, his face all screwed-up in distaste.

“Oh thank God, it wasn’t just me,” Patrick breathed out in relief.

“Like, I felt things in that moment I didn’t think I would ever feel for Twyla,” David mused aloud, shaking his hands to rid himself of his arousal and figuratively put out the fire in his belly.

“I didn’t think I could feel that for any woman,” Patrick admitted. “It was just so…” he broke off, shaking his head and shivering.

“So, we’re gonna fuck when we get home, right?” David asked outright, desperately hard.

“Oh, absolutely,” Patrick agreed, “but maybe we shouldn’t ever talk about this again.”

“Right. Yeah, good call.”

And just as the song promised, _what a lovely way to burn_.


	13. Season

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T for language. Prompt: Season

David loved autumn. Spring had all those stupid seasonal allergies, and summer was too fucking humid—coiffing his hair was nearly impossible with 90% humidity—and winter prevented people from seeing his sartorial excellence under all that outerwear. He also appreciated the seasonal options available to him for warm beverages.

Patrick loved autumn too, but for very different reasons. He loved Thanksgiving, both Canadian and American, and he loved dressing up for Halloween, and he loved sweater weather.

David acted like all weather was sweater weather, but when he nearly passed out on a regular basis because his cashmere cocoons caused him to overheat in the summer, Patrick had to disagree.

But when there was that little chill in the air, and David’s various merino accoutrements weren’t enough to keep him warm, Patrick especially appreciated how David would reach for him in bed, or as they walked out into the open air, or as they stood in the store they had built together.

David would lean into him, their bodies oriented towards each other unconsciously, warming and reassuring each other. Autumn meant the world around them telegraphing the passage of time as Patrick and David grew to love each other.


	14. Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Song.

“Did you and Rachel have a song?” David asked, suddenly curious.

“A song?” Patrick confirmed, non-existent eyebrows raised in inquiry.

“You know, like how ‘The Best’ is ours?” David offered.

From the first time Patrick had sung to him at Open Mic night, that had been their song. And then it was reinforced when David lip-synced and danced to it as his olive branch. And if that hadn’t been enough, walking down the aisle to that song at their wedding really clinched it.

Every time he heard it, David flushed with affection and love for his husband. He was pretty sure Patrick felt the same, though he didn’t have Tina on quite as many playlists as David did.

Patrick thought a moment. “Not really, not in the way that we do. There were a few songs related to breakups that sort of became inside jokes, though. Like once Rachel put on this Taylor Swift song because I kept insisting we weren’t ever getting back together, so when we did, she played that on repeat for weeks.”

David quirked an eyebrow. “And _that_ didn’t give you any hints that things weren’t going to work out?”

Patrick just glared at his husband.


	15. Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M for mentions of sexual acts. Prompt: Kiss

Patrick stopped counting kisses as soon as weeks turned into months, when it seemed like the count might go on forever.

What he had originally called his “first kiss with a man” was now cemented in his memory variously as his first kiss with David, their first kiss in his car, the first kiss that had actually felt like _a first kiss_.

Their second kiss, which was a cheek kiss the next morning, also counted as their first kiss in Rose Apothecary.

The third kiss was the first that Patrick initiated, their second kiss in Rose Apothecary, and notably, their first kiss with tongue.

On and on it went, with Patrick’s brain no longer able to keep track of the many different milestones each kiss fulfilled. He started tracking things on spreadsheets, almost like journaling, writing down not only what they had done together, but how he had felt about it.

Some people had folders for pornography on their computers. Patrick’s folder was full of kisses.

(Okay, and when kissing turned to making out, frottage, handjobs, blowjobs, fingering, fucking, and the multitude of kinks they had mutual interest in exploring together, those ended up on spreadsheets in that folder too.)


	16. Film

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Film

“Come on, David, last week we watched _Miss Congeniality_ ,” Patrick practically begged.

“No way.” David looked at the movie like he was reconsidering, but then doubled down. “No, I can’t. I won’t.”

David was vetoing Patrick’s pick for movie night, even though it was _his_ turn to pick the film, so Patrick sighed, got up, and grabbed his laptop. He pulled up a list he had written long ago, when he thought this might become an issue.

“Okay, David,” Patrick said, turning back to the screen and moving to the search function. He typed in “A Le” and before he knew it, Patrick’s secret weapon popped up for them to stream. “You promised me we could watch a sports movie this week, my choice. How about _A League of Their Own_?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

This was only one “acceptable sports film” on his list that Patrick could pull out when David was being particularly obstinate.

“Fine, but you’ll have to get out the tissues,” David warned him—be bawled every single time.

Patrick scoffed, shaking his head at his boyfriend before deadpanning, “Uh, no, I have it on pretty good authority that ‘there’s no crying in baseball.’”


	17. Haze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt: Haze

“God I forgot… what this feels like,” Patrick lets out, his sentence trailing off into the distance.

David pauses his lazy kissing, taking in his boyfriend’s words slowly before returning to Patrick’s neck. He was working his way down from the man’s ears to…. well, to wherever he ended up.

“I love it,” David admits, though it’s nothing like rolling on E or molly. Those days are behind him. But he does. He loves the haze that surrounds everything in his mind’s eye, the blurring edges of his thoughts, the way time dilates and any given moment ambles along for either a second or an hour, with no way to tell which. “Do you like it?” he asks, realizing that maybe not everyone _enjoys_ that feeling.

“Yeah,” Patrick slips out, lolling his head to the side as David continues his slow path downwards. “I feel like,” he pauses. “I don’t know. I just like it,” he finishes, unable to continue.

“That’s fine, honey, you just lay there and let me kiss you,” David soothes, happy Patrick is content even if he can’t articulate why.

“Mmm,” Patrick vocalizes in assent.

David’s fingers mosey along, and Patrick’s breathy sighs fill the silence.


	18. Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt: Play

Wedding band in his pocket, Patrick drinks a beer at the bar while a football game plays on the screen. He finishes, leaving a little foam at the bottom of the glass, before turning to look around the room. It’s the Wobbly Elm, and not very full of prospects, but he sees someone promising in the corner, a shot in his hand and a glint in his eye.

He walks over, confidence radiating from his posture, his gait, his almost-predatory smile. He can do this.

When they first talked about maybe doing some roleplay, Patrick had felt a little nervous and wasn’t sure he could act well enough to make it feel real. Now, with David in front of him looking vaguely bored and hot as ever, he’s pretty sure he can make this work. 

“I was thinking of getting some air, if you want to join me,” Patrick offers without saying his name or asking one in return. He walks away from the table without waiting for a response. His confidence makes David purr with delight.

He watches Patrick’s ass walking away, those thick, bitable thighs encased in mid-range denim, an invitation David can’t refuse. Tonight, he’s a random.


	19. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Fear

“David, I promise I got it.”

“And you flushed it down the toilet? Not just threw it in the trash can?”

“It’s gone down the toilet, never to be seen again.”

“Okay, but you used toilet paper, right, because the last thing we need—”

“Yes, I only used toilet paper.” Patrick’s voice was still patient and calm, but David wasn’t sure how far he could push it.

“And you’re sure it was the only one?” David asks, flitting his hands around erratically in a way that mimics the moth that his partner has _finally_ caught and disposed of, though of course, Patrick can’t see him like this. David is sitting in the stockroom in the dark, where no moth would want to go.

“Just the one, but I’ll do a check,” Patrick says reassuringly, and takes a walk around Rose Apothecary paying attention to the lights in search of any errant flying insects.

It _was_ his fault, after all, that they had stayed late tonight, past sunset, and the moths of Schitt’s Creek had found a feast of luminosity inside the doors of Rose Apothecary. His fault, and now his responsibility, since David apparently has a paralyzing fear of moths.


	20. Kink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated E. Prompt: Kink
> 
> Additional tags: bondage, dom!David, sub!Patrick, kink negotiation, traffic light system

Too much restraint is Patrick’s problem. Restraints are also the solution.

Patrick keens as David’s fingers flit, feather light, across his abdomen, teasing the nerves as his skin responds to the slightest of touches. He can’t move, close his legs, or touch David in return. He can’t take charge or make any decisions. He just lies there, ready to accept whatever David gives him.   
  
“Color?” David asks, and it’s maybe the dozenth time he’s checked in already.

“Green,” Patrick ekes out, his body tense and on-edge.

“Good, honey,” David reassures him, offering a too-gentle stroke down Patrick’s cock. “You look so perfect like this.”

Patrick groans under him as David’s mouth sucks a full hickey into his inner thigh, empurpling his fair skin beautifully. The blood rushes up, though it’s mostly already in his cock, and Patrick whines with arousal.

“Fuck! Please,” he whimpers.

“No,” David whispers against his thigh, his tone firm. “You don’t get to choose right now, remember?”

Patrick’s nod turns to a groan as David’s tongue reaches his balls, Patrick’s frustration mounting. But this is meant to get Patrick out of his head, and he trusts David to do what’s best for him, now and always.


	21. Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Bright

When David walks into Rose Apothecary the morning after his little outing with Stevie, he has those white sunglasses on his face. Patrick thinks he always looks good, but he particularly enjoys David in those sunglasses.

Today, however, it’s clearly not a fashion choice. The grimace on David’s face, and the crows feet that crinkle around his eyes when he removes the sunglasses both tell Patrick that David is in pain.

“Are you okay, David? You look horrible,” Patrick observes, the words slipping out of his mouth before he realizes saying them is a terrible idea.

“Wow, thanks Patrick. That’s just what I wanted to hear this morning,” David snipes back.

Patrick winces, but the jab doesn’t land particularly hard. He goes over to David, whose eyes are squinting in the daylight, the sun shining in through their entire wall of windows at the front of the store.

“What is it?” Patrick asks. “What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”

David scoffs, setting his bag down and covering his ears. Patrick hadn’t spoken that loudly, he thought. And then he realizes what’s wrong. David is hungover. And grumpy.

“Why is it so goddamn bright in here?” David exclaims, confirming Patrick’s suspicions.


	22. Virtue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated T. Prompt: Virtue

“So when you said ‘slow,’” David asks, “did you mean, like, glacial, or slow-and-steady?”

Patrick laughs against David’s neck, his lips pressing a sweet kiss to the spot just behind David’s ear.

“Slow-and-steady,” Patrick confirms. “I’m not trying to protect my virtue or anything, David. I just… I don’t really know what I’m doing, and this is just, it’s a lot.”

“Sure,” David agrees. “Okay,” he continues, seemingly taking it all in. “So, you can set our pace, then.”

Patrick pulls away, a wince sneaking into view. “I don’t… I just… I want to try--I’m open to everything, but I’m not…” he breaks off, sighing. This is maybe the least confident David has ever seen Patrick. “Maybe we could set benchmarks or something?”

David’s brow furrows as he tries to figure out what Patrick means. Patrick continues, “Like bases, or milestones?”

David is only more confused now, and Patrick sees this isn’t helping.

“Okay,” Patrick starts. “How about this: for tonight, clothes stay on, and everything above the waist is fair game. We can reassess again later.”

David quirks an eyebrow. “Thank you,” he says, glad that Patrick is willing to discuss his boundaries. “I can work with that.”


	23. Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M. Prompt: Dark

It’s new, and neither of them is sure this will amount to anything, but they were both willing to try it, so here they are, fumbling around in their individual darknesses, blind to all but their desire for each other.

The light is off, yes, but to ensure that neither of them can adjust their eyes to the darkness, David has procured some very high quality, incredibly effective blackout sleep masks.

For both of them.

So now despite having been together for over two years now, they are relearning each other’s bodies by touch alone.

It’s freeing, more than Patrick expected it to be. David hasn’t ever enjoyed being the one gaped at, but with both of them blindfolded, it’s somehow just right. 

It’s not clear what’s touching—fingers, lips, the brush of bodies against each other, and that makes it all the better. In the safety and privacy of their bedroom, they can be free to explore each other, to connect despite not making eye contact, to touch and be touched.

Over time, their bodies have become oriented toward each other, and in the darkness they move together in tandem, sharing sensation, arousal, orgasm, and even the same breath.


	24. Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Smile

David’s trying to write his vows, wondering how he’ll ever be able to encapsulate the love he has for Patrick into so few words. It’s perhaps the most challenging thing he’s ever done, trying to find the right ways to express how Patrick has changed his life, how happy he is with him, how Patrick has made him a better person.

He wonders how Patrick is doing with his. David knows there is a notebook on Patrick’s desk at home that holds his drafts, but David will never open it.

He thinks back to his business proposal, how it was full of buzzwords that didn’t mean anything tangible. He wants his vows to be different. He wants everyone to hear, in no uncertain terms, how much he loves this man, how he’s going to spend his life with him.

He thinks about Patrick’s smile, and decides it’s something he wants to talk about. How that smile charmed him, kept him on his toes, lights up his day. It’s a genuine smile, so open and fond. Patrick face doesn’t try to hide his smiles the way David’s does. It’s the smile he fell in love with.

Smiling, David starts to write.


	25. Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Meet

David likes to call them “go-sees” because it reminds him of his old life. Or maybe just watching _America’s Next Top Model_. But they’re really just meetings with potential vendors. And while he’s gone on a few alone, and there was that disastrous one where he took Alexis and Heather Warner happened to be _Ted’s Heather_. Never with Patrick.

This was a chance for a road trip, and to see how each other worked in that context, and to just spend some time together outside of the store. But then David remembered _why_ he and Patrick hadn’t gone on any together. Someone had to watch the store.

Still, they were closed Mondays, and that was a normal just for just about everyone else, so they settled into Patrick’s Toyota, snacks in hand, and Patrick’s pitch and notes and bottom lines all written-up, and they set off for one of the Elms nearby.

“I love this,” David expressed from the passenger seat.

Patrick reached across the armrest, taking David’s hand.

“I can’t wait,” Patrick agreed, squeezing his hand in assurance. He was happy to finally help bring a vendor on, not just liaise after David did all the hard work upfront.


	26. Vice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Vice

Patrick doesn’t have many vices, so he figures he can stand to add another one. When Bob invites him to Poker night, Patrick immediately plans to decline. It’s the one guaranteed night a week that Ray will be out of the house, and it’s practically a sacrosanct date night time.

 _However_.

This week, it just so happens that David is going out of town with Stevie, on an overnight trip to some spa. The coupon she has is only good for weekdays, and for some reason (probably to troll them both, but more likely for scheduling reasons with Mr. Rose), she chose Wednesday.

So here he is, with Ray at Bob and Gwen’s house, playing poker with him, Ronnie, and Roland. The more he thinks about it, he’s pretty sure he’s actually taking Mr. Rose’s spot, and he’s okay with that, because it made this whole thing work out perfectly.

He doesn’t usually gamble, although he supposes leaving his entire life behind to move to Schitt’s Creek was as much a gamble as anything. But the thing is, he knows how to play poker. He hopes everyone in this room will still tolerate him after he takes all their money. 


	27. Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Clothes

Watching David pick out his clothes for the day was one of Patrick’s favorites things. How David touched the fabrics, examined the cuts, considered the designs, balanced each piece together. He loved watching David work, the artistry and deliberation behind each decision palpable in their bedroom.

David’s clothes—at least when he wore them—spoke volumes. They told stories, made statements. Patrick wanted to see what they might say about him.

Patrick gently fingered a sweater, feeling the soft cashmere against his hands, enjoying the luxury of this item that likely cost an entire month’s rent.

He pulled it over his head, carefully, knowing how to not stretch the neck as David had taught him. It swallowed him. His smaller frame didn’t look right in it. He didn’t know what he expected; he wasn’t exactly built like David was.

Patrick was eyeing a pair of acid-washed pants when the door downstairs suddenly opened. David’s dinner with Stevie had ended earlier than expected. Patrick panicked. He was still panicking when David came into the bedroom moments later, saw what Patrick was wearing, and smiled.

“Let’s find something that will fit you better,” he offered gently, kissing his husband a sweet hello.


	28. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Storm

“I’ll text Stevie and ask if she’ll put a sign on the door.”

“Great,” Patrick agreed. “I’ll get us some blankets.”

The snowstorm had dropped a few feet on them in as many hours. Their day trip to an out-of-town vendor had quickly turned into an overnight trip, with roads not yet safe to drive on.

Luckily, David always packed his bag for such occurrences and had brought a change of clothes and the bare necessities of his skincare routine, although the motel Stevie had found them last minute was in the Rosebud Group and exclusively carried Rose Apothecary toiletries. So at least he didn’t have to complain about his hair getting sub-par conditioning in these desperate times.

Patrick also had an emergency bag, filled with all the things his Canadian upbringing had taught him were necessary in case of car trouble in less than moderate conditions. He had extra-warm clothing, food, fresh water, survival supplies, and several blankets in addition to some car maintenance items David didn’t recognize.

“Ready to snuggle up for warmth?” David asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

Patrick rolled his own eyes and grinned, though he never needed an excuse to cuddle with his husband.


	29. Whisper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Whisper

“Why are you whispering?” Patrick asks, his own voice hushed.

“I don’t know, it just feels like my inside voice isn’t quiet enough for this.”

Patrick laughs under his breath. “Okay, David,” he says quietly, laying a hand on David’s shoulder to walk with him.

“It’s not that I’m scared,” David insists, anticipating his husband’s thoughts.

“I didn’t say you were.”

“Good, because I’m not.” David’s phone flashlight guides their way downstairs as Patrick’s hand squeezes his shoulder lovingly.

“Right. So, whispering?”

“It’s pitch black, the middle of the night. Should I be shouting?” David’s voice rises a bit, nervousness coming through.

“No, no, you’re right,” Patrick stage-whispers back. “This is completely appropriate and not at all dramatic.”

“Listen,” David turns around sharply, a squeak sounding from somewhere downstairs, and Patrick turns toward the sound.

“I think it was just the wind,” Patrick suggests, moving himself protectively in front of David nevertheless. David puts his hand on Patrick’s shoulder now, his grip tight on his husband’s sleep shirt. “Come on, here’s the fuse box.”

David nervously shifts his bare feet on the hardwood as Patrick flips the breaker. Light flickers on, and they both breathe out a sigh of relief.


	30. Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated G. Prompt: Drink

They drink champagne at their wedding. The good stuff, actually from Champagne, France. No zhampagne at David Rose’s wedding. It might be nearly rained out, but they were at least going to celebrate this amazing day with real bubbly.

They order a bottle of David’s favorite prosecco from Italy to bring home and celebrate on moving day. They drink it out of Solo cups instead of unpacking their good glassware, but it’s still a celebration David never expected he would get to have.

They go on a honeymoon when things are more settled, a trip around Europe, and toast to a happy life with regional varietals.

At the second store opening—which is hard on purpose, this time—they celebrate with a local red, which they get at-cost because they’re featuring the vendor this month. The wine spills on David’s sweater, and a little red stain sets in while they’re celebrating. He doesn’t care so much.

They start carrying Herb Ertlinger’s fruit wine a few years later, once David has a “come to Jesus” talk with the man himself, and they spend another day concocting a palatable blend. There’s still no radish, but this one is at least mildly potable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming on this journey with me! I had so much fun writing a prompt a day, and I hope you have enjoyed the different snippets of David and Patrick I have shared.


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